Actively implementing the work of building "no drugs in communes and wards"
In Lam Thuong commune (Lao Cai province), people in Tong Ang village have been given leaflets by the commune police to propagate the law on drugs, disseminate the harmful effects of drugs, how to identify drug addicts and skills to prevent drug abuse in the community.
According to Ms. Duong Hong Linh - Head of Tong Ang village, the propaganda sessions have raised people's awareness, helping them proactively " say no to drugs" and become propagandists at home and in villages, contributing to building a clean and healthy community.
With the motto "Going to every alley, knocking on every door, checking every person", Major Nong Duc Duyet - Deputy Head of Lam Thuong Commune Police said that the Commune Police have made a specific plan, assigned officers in charge of each area, coordinated with departments, branches and unions to review and strictly manage subjects related to drugs.
Patrol and control work has been strengthened to promptly detect and handle violations of the law.
Not only in Lam Thuong commune, in Cam Duong ward, the police force proactively advised the Party Committee and People's Committee of the ward to develop programs and plans to mobilize the combined strength of the political system and the people to participate in preventing and combating drug crimes.
Lieutenant Colonel Pham Ngoc Sau - Deputy Head of Cam Duong Ward Police said that the unit closely follows the area, follows the people, and develops specific plans to implement movements to ensure security and order, towards a drug-free ward model and a crime-free ward.
These efforts contribute to raising public awareness, mobilizing the strength of the entire population to participate in preventing and combating drug abuse, building communes and wards in mountainous areas and border areas free of drugs, ensuring safety and peace for people.
Previously, implementing the direction of the Ministry of Public Security, Lao Cai Provincial Police issued a plan to direct departments and police of communes and wards to implement the peak target of 20% of drug-free communes and wards in 2025, while thoroughly handling the situation of illegal drug users.
Based on reviewing and assessing the situation, communes and wards proactively develop implementation plans, assign responsible staff, and schedule inspections of implementation work. The police forces of communes and wards in Lao Cai are effectively implementing the program to build "no drugs commune and ward", especially targeting mountainous areas and border areas.
To implement the tasks of the national target program on drug prevention and control until 2030, Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee also issued Document No. 2707/UBND-NC dated October 4, 2025, assigning tasks to departments, branches and localities.
In particular, the Provincial Police are assigned to proactively advise the Provincial People's Committee to direct, guide, urge, inspect and evaluate the implementation results; establish an Inspection Team to supervise the implementation results and organize a preliminary review and summary of the implementation of the national target program on drug prevention and control until 2030 in the province.
Preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies and units to direct functional forces to focus on implementing drastic, synchronous, and effective solutions to prevent and combat drug crimes, associated with implementing measures to build "Drug-free communes and wards" in the province.
Using synchronous professional measures, focusing on fighting to destroy drug complexity rings and points and proactively preventing re-complexity; improve the effectiveness of mobilizing and arresting wanted subjects for drug crimes.
Advising on the effective implementation of economic development and social security policies in accordance with the practical conditions of each commune and ward and promptly resolving the legitimate needs and aspirations of the people, avoiding complicated security and order issues at the grassroots level.
Direct the authorities to deploy professional measures to proactively grasp the situation of drug crimes, have plans to fight to eradicate drug trafficking, storage, and illegal use and use of drugs, and basically transform key and complex drug areas.
Direct the Commune-level Police to advise the People's Committees at the same level to direct the development of plans to implement projects and sub-projects in the national target program on drug prevention and control until 2030 in localities under their management.
The People's Committees of communes and wards specify the contents and tasks of drug prevention and control in the annual and each stage socio-economic development plan, programs, resources and projects managed by localities; submit to the People's Councils at the same level to arrange funding for the implementation of the national target program on drug prevention and control.
Controlling and reducing drug abuse in border communes
In Lai Chau, Pa Do is a mountainous commune with particularly difficult border areas - where the terrain is rugged, traffic is difficult, and the education level is limited.
Lai Chau Provincial Police said that these factors have made this place a drug hot spot for many years.
According to the latest statistics, Pa Do commune currently has 1,376 households with 6,108 people, of which the number of people aged 16 and over is 3,670 people. The alarming thing is that Pa Do currently has 249 drug users and 246 drug addicts.
This means that for every 7 adults (from 16 years old and above), 1 person in Pa Do is directly affected by drugs, accounting for the highest rate in Lai Chau province, a figure showing the seriousness and urgency of the problem, drugs have penetrated into each village and each roof of a house in Pa Do.
Many families have two to three addicts. There are young people in their late teens and early twenties who have fallen; some have lost their jobs or their families due to addiction, and their futures are uncertain.
Mr. Nguyen Khanh Yen - Chairman of the People's Committee of Pa Do commune, said: "Due to the characteristics of the border commune, the people are mainly ethnic minorities, with large areas and villages far apart; addicts often live in tents and few return to the village, so propaganda on drug prevention and control is difficult. However, we still persistently implement synchronous solutions to control the evils".
According to Mr. Yen, every year, 100% of the registration documents commit to the People's Committee of the commune to build a "drug-free version". Complex versions are chosen as conversion points; strive to reduce the level of complexity, moving towards no more drugs.
The commune promotes the role of the government in directing the development of a "drug-free version"; mobilizes the participation of socio-political organizations, agencies, units, schools and people. The development and implementation of drug prevention and control programs and plans is associated with the goal of socio-economic development, in order to effectively use resources.
Colonel Pham Hai Dang - Deputy Director of the Provincial Police Department directly directed the police force of Pa Do commune to strengthen the grasp of the local situation, make a list, strictly manage drug addicts and users in coordination with local authorities and social organizations to promote propaganda and mobilize people to give up drugs and participate in denouncing crimes.
The working group also requested Pa Do commune to regularly review, classify drug addicts, deploy Methadone replacement treatment measures, and organize community drug rehabilitation in conjunction with livelihood support and job creation so that people after drug rehabilitation can reintegrate into society.
Although the current situation is still difficult, with the attention and close direction of the leaders of Lai Chau Provincial Police, along with the efforts of the grassroots forces and the will of the local people, the belief in a peaceful and drug-free Pao is gradually being lit up to build a bright future for Pao.
